Special Education

As a special education/elementary education dual major, Jennifer McGinty believes she has been given many opportunities to get her feet wet in the field of education. “I have had the opportunity to work with children with all types of disabilities in both urban and suburban settings,” says McGinty. “With the experiences and knowledge I have gained from West Chester’s education program, I am confident that I have gained the skills needed to be an effective teacher.” She adds that students in her program are required to complete many field experiences so they are fully prepared for student teaching and career opportunities after graduation.

Jennifer gained an appreciation for working with inner-city students while participating in the Philadelphia Urban Experience Seminar; a summer course available for education majors. Students in the program live at LaSalle University for two weeks. During that time, students attend seminars and classes that prepare them for field work in the Philadelphia School District. “I assisted teachers with all daily academics in a 7th and 8th grade life skills classroom with students who have high incidence disabilities,” said McGinty.

When Jennifer isn’t involved in experiences required by the education program, she works with students with autism at The Timothy School and with young children at Chester County Intermediate Unit as a substitute instructional assistant. She also participates in the activities sponsored by the Elementary Math Organization (E.L.M.O) as well as the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) at West Chester University.

When Jennifer was asked why she chose to attend West Chester University over other colleges, she expressed “As soon as I walked onto the campus, I knew this was the best fit for me. I just loved the atmosphere, the small-town feel, and the student activity on campus. It just felt comfortable. ”